Display device

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In display devices, panel inspection lines can experience short circuits during testing, leading to false defect detection and inefficient manufacturing processes, as both the display panel and driver need to be discarded if defects are found after attachment.

Innovation Solution

The display device incorporates a design with alternately disposed first and second thin film transistors, where the semiconductor layers of the first thin film transistors are longer than those of the second thin film transistors, reducing the likelihood of short circuits between data input lines used for testing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If panel inspection lines are used to test the display panel before driver attachment, then defect detection capability is improved, but short circuit risk increases leading to false defect detection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect detection capabilityVSAvoidshort circuit risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transistor array is segmented into first transistors connected to first data lines and second transistors connected to second data lines. The inspection lines are also segmented to connect to different transistor groups, reducing the probability that a single short circuit affects the entire array and causes false defect detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the transistor array are assigned different properties: first transistors with first semiconductor layers connected to first data lines, and second transistors with second semiconductor layers connected to second data lines. This local differentiation allows targeted inspection and reduces false positives from localized short circuits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If drivers are attached to the display panel, then display functionality is achieved, but defect detection becomes difficult requiring panel and driver discard

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoiddefect detection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The display panel is equipped with inspection lines and configured transistor structures that enable defect detection to be performed before the driver is attached. This preliminary testing action allows defects to be identified and panels to be sorted before final assembly, preventing waste of both panels and drivers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If alternately disposed first and second thin film transistors with different semiconductor layer lengths are used, then short circuit likelihood is reduced, but device structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit resistanceVSAvoidtransistor structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first transistors and second transistors are designed with asymmetric semiconductor layer lengths in the first direction. This asymmetry creates physical differentiation that reduces short circuit likelihood between adjacent transistors while maintaining functional equivalence for display operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The alternately disposed transistor structure introduces variation in the first direction (length dimension) while maintaining regular alternation in the second direction. This dimensional differentiation reduces short circuit risk without requiring complete structural redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10043478B2Display device
Publication Date: 2018.08.07 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

There is provided a display device comprising a display panel, wherein the display panel comprises pixels, data lines, thin film transistors including first electrodes electrically connected with the data lines, second electrodes disposed to be spaced apart from the first electrodes in a first direction, semiconductor layers overlapping the first electrodes and the second electrodes, and gate electrodes overlapping the semiconductor layers and pads electrically connected with the second electrodes, wherein the thin film transistors includes first thin film transistors and second thin film transistors, which are alternately disposed, the semiconductor layers are divided into first semiconductor layers included in the first thin film transistors and second semiconductor layers included in the second thin film transistors, which are alternately disposed, and a length of the first semiconductor layer in the first direction is larger than a length of the second semiconductor layer in the first direction.